it is off topic , but wont be on much for a bit

This is a discussion on it is off topic , but wont be on much for a bit within the Off Topic & Humor Discussion forums, part of the The Back Porch category; I have to take a bit off , seems we have lost 2 grown cows , and a big calf to predation , we cant ...

it is off topic , but wont be on much for a bit

I have to take a bit off , seems we have lost 2 grown cows , and a big calf to predation , we cant afford this , I notified dev of wildlife , they are going over to look at the corpses with me to see if it is something they will pay for ... my money says no .. so i will be setting a blind for a fiew nights to see what messes with the herd . whateaver it is ( if i see it ) I will let you know . If its as i suspect " town dogs " running in a pack , well then its S.S.S. time and no little girl i dont know where cujo went lol . anyway , going to be either out of range or sleeping for a day or two .

Make sure you get full value out of today , Do something worthwhile, because what you do today will cost you one day off the rest of your life .
We only begin to understand folks after we stop and think .

When I was young there was a guy who thinned out the coyotes around my grandparents farm using homemade claymores (The mines not swords). I think he is still in the pen, but I do remember the coyotes becomeing scarce for a couple of years.

If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good. ~ Thomas J. Watson, Jr.

Predation is tough. We've had the same issues, some have been coyotes, others have been pack dogs. Then there's always the foxes, coons & other such 4 legged varmints.

It takes a LOT of time to ambush them though. You may want to find someone who traps regularly. I got lucky & found a friend who has trapped for years. He helped get me started & taught me how to trap. In one season, about 3 years ago, we trapped 16 foxes. Around here we use rubber jawed foot traps so it doesn't injure the animal. Red fox bring $40 each, grey fox brings $25-30 each. The foxes are then sold to fox pens in nearby counties that train dogs to hunt foxes. The other animals that get trapped we usually dispatch with a firearm.

If the predator is small (less than 35 lbs), you can try a cage trap. I've only had limited luck with the cage style traps, usually we catch skunks, opposums or young foxes. You really have to disquise the cage traps with brush to be effective.

Of the predators we deal with the pack dogs are the worst, they kill just to kill. The foxes, coyotes...etc...are killing for meat. The dogs are usually well fed house dogs. A few years ago we had a goat which stayed in the fields with the horses. One afternoon 4 dogs came in & tried to attack the goat, the horses surronded & fought off the dogs until I could get a rifle & deal with them.

If your problem is coyote or possibly wolf, you could get an electronic call & setup at night using a red light & remove that threat. If it's dogs, they we be harder to lure & they could come day or night. If it's cougar, your tactics will have to be different still. (not familar with cougars, so can't give any advice there)

We still get the odd deer hound (Beagles, Walkers...etc), those RARELY cause any problem at all. Most of those we catch & give the owner a call (most have tags), who then come & get them. Only twice have hunting dogs done anything, one killed a chicken & ate it, the other killed a duck & ate it. Both of the dogs were half starved & were just hungry. Hopefully both lived long lives, since we didn't end them.

As to staking out chicken coops......you may want to get a baby monitor ($15 from Wally World). I use one in a barn where the chickens & turkeys roost. It works well, when the predator disturbs the birds, that wakes me & the dogs & we're on the way.

love to hunt varments more than happy to lend a hand just let me know what part of colarado are you in iv taken 11 yoteys in the last three weeks have a groupe of buddys we get contacted buy ranchers and farmers to help controll the populations on private ranches ect pm me and ill give you my phone and see what we can set up if your interested

When I was about 11 one of our neighbors who had sheep came over and accused my father of letting our dogs out at night and that they were killing his sheep. My Dad gott a little PO'd of cource since our dogs were always penned up. Any ways the farmer stayed up one night and shot the dogs that were doing the killing. He ended up shooting his own herd dogs, seems they had gotten a taste for blood.

I thought his dogs showed good sense, You can only stand to be around sheep for so long.